s
I. PURPOSE
DEPARTMENT:
To establish parameters for reducing or
waiving fees associated with the
temporary use of City of Signal Hill
(“City”) facilities.
II. Community
ServicesDEFINITIONS
To set forth in writing the City’s position in regards to the waiver of fees for the Community Center, Spud Field, Signal Hill Park Amphitheater, Basketball Courts, Library Meeting Room, Picnic Shelters, and Hilltop Grass Area.
The following definitions apply for purposes of this Policy:
A. Department: Shall refer to the City’s Parks, Recreation and Library Services Department.
B. Facility or Facilities: Land or a building or room owned, leased, or operated by the City of Signal Hill.
C. Schedule of Fees and Charges: Shall refer to the City’s annually adopted master schedule of fees.
D. Staffing Fees: Shall refer to costs associated with set-up, tear down and facility monitoring by staff prior to, during and/or after rental of the Facility.
III. II. GENERAL POLICY
The City recognizes the value of working with and supporting organizations, programs and groups to provide services and resources that benefit the Signal Hill community, that the City would otherwise provide or is unable to provide. In an effort to provide support for these organizations, the City may reduce or waive Facility use fees for eligible groups that meet the eligible criteria established in this Policy.
A. Fees for the temporary use of city facilitiesCity Facilities are established annually by ordinance of the City Council. The Community Services Director has been given the authority to waive or reduce deposits, but cannot waive facility fees or staff fees.
Waiver of these fees can only be done by and set forth in a Schedule of Fees and Charges. Requests for a reduction or wavier of Facility fees is subject to the review and approval the Parks and Recreation Commission and the(“Commission”). Staffing Fees can only be reduced or waived upon City Council respectivelyapproval.
A. Eligibility Criteria for Fee Waiver or Fee Reduction:
% The group is considered in good standing with the City, which includes but is not limited to, having no outstanding fees, or debts overdue with the City and documented history of compliance with previous City Facility use policies and procedures.
% The event or program is consistent with the City’s mission, values and objectives.
% There are no detrimental impacts on the existing facilities or City activities.
% There is a public benefit to Signal Hill residents.
% Program or event is non-discriminatory and non-political nature. % Primary mission of organization is philanthropic and/or service-driven for the benefit of the community.
% Event or program is open to the public at no charge.
B. Not Eligible for Fee Waiver or Fee Reduction:
% Political activities and supporting or endorsing any candidate for office, ballot measure, or other political measure.
% Commercial events.
In order to request a waiver the applicant must:
% Corporate events.
1. Submit an application for Use of City Facilities and attach a letter for waiver of fees.
% Private family or social gatherings.
% Trainings that charge for participation.
% Events that provide no community benefit.
% Projects or organizations that have failed to fulfill their obligations during previous events or activities for which facility permit fees were waived or reduced.
% Profit will be made from the event by the permitting organization or by any other private individual or business.
% Commercial or for-profit individual, group or organization. % Event, program or activity that, as determined by the City, substantially strains available City resources, such as but not limited to: staffing, materials, equipment, and services.
% Program, event, or meeting that references drug-use, drug paraphernalia, gambling, sex, adult oriented business, explicit language, or material.
C. Eligible Organizations:
The categories of eligible organizations, programs, or groups are as follows:
1. Official City Partner/City Affiliated Organization
a. An official affiliate is an organization or individual that has a formal agreement or Memorandum of Understanding with
the City.
2. Intergovernmental Groups/Government Agencies
a. A governmental entity (city, county, state, federal or special district);
b. The use of the Facility is related to the performance of the agency’s governmental duties; and
c. The program or event provides a public benefit to City residents.
3. Resident Non-Profit
2. Prove that the general requirements stated in this policy have been met.
a. Organization resides within City or at least 51% of the organization’s voting board is made up of City residents; and b. Submits documentation demonstrating either of the
foregoing.
4. Non-Resident, Non-Profit
To be considered for a waiver the Applicant must meet all of the following criteria:
a. Organization resides outside of City or is a non-profit; b. Submits documentation demonstrating the foregoing or its non-profit status; and
c. Program or event is open to the entire public at no charge; and
d. a. The Applicant Must Be aProgram or event provides a valuable benefit to Signal Hill Resident. Proof of
residency must be furnished to City staffresidents.
5. Schools and School Groups
a. Public schools located within the Long Beach Unified School District, private schools located within the City, or City of Long Beach, or home schools located in the City serving students K-12; and
b. Any school-based clubs, boosters, social or sports groups that support students that live in the City. School groups must provide a letter from their school identifying the group as an official group, as well as insurance coverage from the school.
6. Civic Organizations/Groups
a. A group or organizations that seeks to improve the
community and promote social welfare.
b. Possible examples of civic organizations/groups include, but are not limited to:
i. Local Community Service Clubs
ii. Social Service Groups
b. The individual or Organization Must Have Nonprofit Status with the Internal Revenue Service. Proof of nonprofit status by the I.R.S. must be furnished to City staff.
iii. Membership/Recreation Groups
c. The organization’s primary focus must be on serving the residents of Signal Hill. Proof of such service by way of programs, services or activities offered to the community must be provided.
iv. Community Group without official Non-Profit Status
7. Homeowners Association/Neighborhood Associations
a. d. The organization’s voting board must beEntity resides within the City or is comprised of at least 51% Signal Hillof City residents.
It is advisable that the applicant appears at the meeting when the waiver is requested to respond to any questions of the City Council or Parks and Recreation Commission.
D. Types of Fees
The following list defines established fees that can and cannot be waived.
1. Eligible Fees for Waiver or Reduction
% Facility use/reservation fees
% Staffing Fees (Per City Council approval)
% Jumpers and bouncer permit fee
2. Fees Not Eligible for Waiver or Reduction
% Facility use application fees
% Refundable damage deposit
% Light usage fees
% Cleaning fee
B. Non-profits not based in Signal Hill will be prohibited from conducting any fundraising activities in any City Park or facility including raffles. % Change fees
C. Musical events will be prohibited after dusk and will also be prohibited during the months of June, July and August.
D. Events numbering more than 25 people will be prohibited at Hilltop Park, with the exception of the wedding space, which will permit up to 75 people for up to 3 hours.
E. Any events which may significantly impact noise, traffic or public use of the park, deemed so by the Director of Community Services, must be approved by the City Council at least sixty days prior to the event. % Security costs
% Maintenance costs
% Liquor license
% Food/health permits fees
% Business license fees
% Insurance/indemnification fees
IV. III. REQUEST FOR FACILITY FEE REDUCTION OR WAIVER
A. Process for Requesting Facility Fee Waiver or Reduction
1. The City Council has given the Parks and Recreation Commission authority to waive facilityreviews requests for the reduction or waiver of Facilities fees. In order to request a waiver, the or reduction, an applicant must:
1. A. Submit an application for Use of City Facilities.applicable Facility Use Application;
2. Submit a Fee Waiver/Reduction Request Form;
3. Submit a Letter of Intent;
4. Pay the application fee (non-refundable) and damage deposit (refundable) at least sixty (60) calendar days before the event date in order to hold the date. Requests can be made up to six (6) months in advance.; and
5. Submit organizational documents demonstrating the group’s eligibility for a fee/waiver reduction based on the criteria set forth in Section III(C) above.
After all required payments and documents have been received by the Department, the date will be held for the group. The request shall be reviewed by the Commission at one of its upcoming two regularly scheduled Commission meetings. It is advisable that the applicant appear at such meeting to respond to questions from the Commission.
The applicant will be notified in writing of the Commission’s decision within seventy-two (72) hours after the decision is rendered.
B. Attach a letter for waiver of fees.Process for Requesting Staff Fee Waiver or Reduction
The waiver or reduction of Staff Fees is only be available upon City Council approval. In order to request a waiver or reduction, an applicant must follow the same process for requesting a Facility fee waiver or reduction set forth in Section IV(A) above, and include the request in the letter of intent.
After all required payments and documents have been received by the Department, the date will be held for the group. The request shall be reviewed by the City Council at one of its upcoming two regularly scheduled City Council meetings. It is advisable that the applicant appear at such meeting to respond to questions from the City Council.
The applicant will be notified in writing of City Council’s decision within seventy-two (72) hours after the decision is referred.
C. Prove that the general use requirements stated in this policy have been met.
2. Request must be received a minimum of one week prior to the next scheduled Parks and Recreation Commission meeting.
IV. STAFF FEE WAIVER
1. In the event staff is required to supervise the City facility, City Council shall review the application for waiver of staff fees and shall make the final determination on the waiver of fees.
2. Request must be received a minimum of one week prior to the next scheduled City Council Meeting.
V. DEPOSITS
No refundable damage deposit shall be waived for any individual or organization without written documentation from the Director of Community Services.
Park, Recreation and Library Services Policy
Waiver of Fee’s for City Facilities
4.16 55728.00001\44981022.2
Park, Recreation and Library Services Policy
Waiver of Fee’s for City Facilities
4.16 55728.00001\44981022.2
VI. GENERAL USE REQUIREMENTS
A. All established rules and regulations, policies and procedures contained in the Facility Use Policy (4.9) shall apply to fee exempt groups with reduced or waived fees.
B. The frequency of use at each facilityFacility shall not exceed a total of once per week by fee exempt groupsmonth for any group as stated in the Facility Use Policy (4.9).
C. Approved Waiver of Fees shall not imply a monopoly of the facility or an automatic renewal of waiver.
C. Groups approved for fee reductions or waivers shall not receive an automatic renewal of waiver, nor shall the approval of fee reductions or waivers imply a monopoly of the Facility.
D. City sponsored programs have priority for facility use. Any reservation may be cancelled by the City.Facility use.
E. Any reservation may be cancelled by the City. In the event of such cancellation, notice shall be given as far in advance of the scheduled usage as possible, and a full refund shall be made.
VII. SPECIAL AGREEMENTSAPPEAL
Community Center:
All decisions of the Commission may be appealed to the City Council for review within ten (10) calendar days from the date of the City’s notification of such decision to applicant. If the City Council finds that the Commission’s interpretation of the provisions of this Policy for an appealed request are not consistent with the Policy and/or its intent or are not in the best interest of the community, the City Council may overturn the decision of the Commission. The City Council’s decision shall be final.
Signal Hill Lions Club rental fees will be waived twice a (calendar) year for their annual fundraising events in view of their help in the construction of the facility. Staff fees still apply.
The LBUSD may use the facility without rental fees based on the most current joint use agreement. Staff fees will apply.
Signal Hill Home Owner Associations’ (HOA) and/or their Management Company’s rental fees, will be waived twice a calendar year, for their HOA meetings. Staff fees still apply and a refundable cash deposit must remain. (City Council action, July 8, 2003)
There are no additional existing agreements for the waiver of fees.
VIII. EXCEPTIONS
There shall be no exceptions to this policy unless authorized by the Community Park, Recreation and Library Services Policy
Waiver of Fee’s for City Facilities
4.16 55728.00001\44981022.2
Park, Recreation and Library Services Policy
Waiver of Fee’s for City Facilities
4.16 55728.00001\44981022.2
Services Director.